December 27th, 2023
I’m sure by now you’ve heard of the wise men, but have you ever heard of the wise woman?
950 years before the magi came to Jerusalem to meet a King, a “wise woman” traveled to Jerusalem with her own entourage. She too traveled by camel. Like the wise men, she also brought gifts. Like the wise men, she was astonished and overjoyed by what she found.
The account is recorded in I Kings 10. This woman, the Queen of Sheba, comes to Jerusalem because she had “heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord,” and so “she came to test him with hard questions.” It’s interesting to see that she “heard the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD.” There’s something unique here, both in what she heard and what she will witness. It’s not just about Solomon’s character, Solomon’s wisdom, and Solomon’s wealth, she’s heard that it’s a reflection of His God – Yahweh!
So the Queen of Sheba comes to “test” Solomon. The New Testament calls her the Queen of the South. The exact location of her realm is unknown, but likely either Ethiopia, or southern Arabia, where modern-day Yemen was located. Either way, this was a long journey. Apparently, she had heard of Solomon’s wisdom and wealth and couldn’t believe it. She had to see it for herself. In a sense, then, she comes as a skeptic, ready to confirm her suspicions that Solomon’s kingdom is overrated. In her mind, it can’t possibly be as wonderful as it has been described.
The Queen must have been a wise woman – at least in the area of statecraft. She governed a large and wealthy region. She was extremely successful herself. And she brought many difficult diplomatic and ethical questions to her counterpart, the King of Israel. Considering the context, though, Paul House is right when he adds, “Indeed, she [also] seeks spiritual insight from one famous for possessing the Lord’s wisdom.”[1]
We don’t know all the questions, but we do know the outcome. Verses 4-5 read, “And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her.”
What that means is that she was literally “breathless,” she was overwhelmed. “Given the king’s brilliance,” says House,” the queen realizes he has won the battle of wits…There are no more questions.”[2]
This is an incredible journey! And an amazing outcome. The cynic is now a believer. She breaks out in praise: “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. However, I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard. Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!"
Note how she acknowledges that all the blessings given to Solomon are overflowing to those around him. But she perceives more. She is truly a wise woman. She expands her praise to the Power behind this throne in verse 9, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.” Solomon’s kingdom serves, first and foremost, to bring praise to Solomon’s God, “who alone does marvelous deeds” (See Psalm 72:17-19).
But furthermore, Solomon’s kingdom foreshadows another King. Famous, wealthy, and wise delegates will come visit this King as well. They will bring him gold and spices in abundance. They will be breathless and overjoyed when they find Him. And they too will leave in wonder and awe.
We’re familiar with that account (Mattew 2:1-12). But it’s interesting to note that this King spoke to the cynics of his day as well. There were many who didn’t believe him, who were offended at his claims and teaching. That’s the context of Matthew 12, a few chapters later, when the scribes and Pharisees challenged the now fully grown Jesus to show them a sign.
Among other things, Jesus tells them, “The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here” (Matthew 12:42).
Essentially, Jesus is saying here that you can add up all the wonderful things the Queen of Sheba saw, heard and experienced, and what Jesus’ contemporaries were seeing was infinitely more wonderful. So much so…that the Queen of Sheba would rise up in judgment if they rejected him!
We are not exempt from this. The author of Hebrews treats his readers – people like us – as those who have the fulness of Jesus’ revelation, even if we are not eyewitnesses. He in these last days has revealed Himself in the person of his Son…how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?
As the wise woman sought and found wise Solomon, and the Wise Men sought and found the greater than Solomon, wise men and women still seek King Jesus today.
And so, as you experience the joys of this season, remember a greater than Solomon arrived on Christmas Day. One who confounded the smartest people of his day, even as a boy! One in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. One to whom the kings came and brought him gifts. One of whom it was said by his contemporaries, “He does all things well.”
[1] Paul R. House, 1, 2 Kings, vol. 8, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), 161.
[2] Ibid.,162.
950 years before the magi came to Jerusalem to meet a King, a “wise woman” traveled to Jerusalem with her own entourage. She too traveled by camel. Like the wise men, she also brought gifts. Like the wise men, she was astonished and overjoyed by what she found.
The account is recorded in I Kings 10. This woman, the Queen of Sheba, comes to Jerusalem because she had “heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord,” and so “she came to test him with hard questions.” It’s interesting to see that she “heard the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD.” There’s something unique here, both in what she heard and what she will witness. It’s not just about Solomon’s character, Solomon’s wisdom, and Solomon’s wealth, she’s heard that it’s a reflection of His God – Yahweh!
So the Queen of Sheba comes to “test” Solomon. The New Testament calls her the Queen of the South. The exact location of her realm is unknown, but likely either Ethiopia, or southern Arabia, where modern-day Yemen was located. Either way, this was a long journey. Apparently, she had heard of Solomon’s wisdom and wealth and couldn’t believe it. She had to see it for herself. In a sense, then, she comes as a skeptic, ready to confirm her suspicions that Solomon’s kingdom is overrated. In her mind, it can’t possibly be as wonderful as it has been described.
The Queen must have been a wise woman – at least in the area of statecraft. She governed a large and wealthy region. She was extremely successful herself. And she brought many difficult diplomatic and ethical questions to her counterpart, the King of Israel. Considering the context, though, Paul House is right when he adds, “Indeed, she [also] seeks spiritual insight from one famous for possessing the Lord’s wisdom.”[1]
We don’t know all the questions, but we do know the outcome. Verses 4-5 read, “And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her.”
What that means is that she was literally “breathless,” she was overwhelmed. “Given the king’s brilliance,” says House,” the queen realizes he has won the battle of wits…There are no more questions.”[2]
This is an incredible journey! And an amazing outcome. The cynic is now a believer. She breaks out in praise: “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. However, I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard. Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!"
Note how she acknowledges that all the blessings given to Solomon are overflowing to those around him. But she perceives more. She is truly a wise woman. She expands her praise to the Power behind this throne in verse 9, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.” Solomon’s kingdom serves, first and foremost, to bring praise to Solomon’s God, “who alone does marvelous deeds” (See Psalm 72:17-19).
But furthermore, Solomon’s kingdom foreshadows another King. Famous, wealthy, and wise delegates will come visit this King as well. They will bring him gold and spices in abundance. They will be breathless and overjoyed when they find Him. And they too will leave in wonder and awe.
We’re familiar with that account (Mattew 2:1-12). But it’s interesting to note that this King spoke to the cynics of his day as well. There were many who didn’t believe him, who were offended at his claims and teaching. That’s the context of Matthew 12, a few chapters later, when the scribes and Pharisees challenged the now fully grown Jesus to show them a sign.
Among other things, Jesus tells them, “The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here” (Matthew 12:42).
Essentially, Jesus is saying here that you can add up all the wonderful things the Queen of Sheba saw, heard and experienced, and what Jesus’ contemporaries were seeing was infinitely more wonderful. So much so…that the Queen of Sheba would rise up in judgment if they rejected him!
We are not exempt from this. The author of Hebrews treats his readers – people like us – as those who have the fulness of Jesus’ revelation, even if we are not eyewitnesses. He in these last days has revealed Himself in the person of his Son…how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?
As the wise woman sought and found wise Solomon, and the Wise Men sought and found the greater than Solomon, wise men and women still seek King Jesus today.
And so, as you experience the joys of this season, remember a greater than Solomon arrived on Christmas Day. One who confounded the smartest people of his day, even as a boy! One in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. One to whom the kings came and brought him gifts. One of whom it was said by his contemporaries, “He does all things well.”
[1] Paul R. House, 1, 2 Kings, vol. 8, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), 161.
[2] Ibid.,162.
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